What to expect from the whittled-down young core of the Warriors
After the departures of Jordan Poole and James Wiseman, the Golden State Warriors' young core is now composed of third-year players Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Golden State's championship aspirations could hinge on the performances and development trajectories of these third-year talents. As training camp gets underway, let's examine each player:
Jonathan Kuminga | 6-foot-7 forward
Last season, Kuminga — who turns 21 on Oct. 6 — progressed, particularly on defense as he became an on-ball pest. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists and shot 52.5% from the field. However, his postseason playtime was surprisingly curtailed by head coach Steve Kerr (6.1 minutes per game).
His athleticism and rim pressure are crucial to the team's offense. Despite a letdown in the postseason, his potential and sporadic flashes of brilliance indicate he will remain a big part of the team's plans.
His defensive potential could make him one of the better defenders in the NBA.
"I'm excited about [Kuminga]. He's had a really good summer," Kerr recently told the media. "I was getting reports routinely when I was overseas [at the World Cup], and the coaches were all raving about him, saying that he's really worked hard and understood ... what's needed from him."
Golden State needs Kuminga to take a third-year jump, not only in terms of his skill set but in his ability to contribute to winning basketball.
"I think Chris Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga and his growth," veteran forward Draymond Green said earlier this summer on Paul George's podcast, "Podcast P With Paul George." "He's great with young guys. Deandre Ayton looked like a bust before CP came to Phoenix."
The Warriors acquired Paul in June.
EXPECTATION: A career year.
Moses Moody | 6-foot-5 guard
Moody's season was almost a complete 180 from Kuminga's. He received limited playing time during the regular season, but in the playoffs, the 21-year-ol showcased an intense competitive spirit and strong defensive instincts. Plus, in the postseason, he shot 59.1% from three on 1.8 attempts per game.
Moody's advanced analytics also show he's a solid contributor to winning. His defensive box plus/minus — a box score estimate of the defensive points per 100 possessions a player contributed above a league-average player — stood at 3.2 compared to just 0.4 in his rookie season.
Based on the playoffs, it's obvious he already has the trust of this coaching staff. Kerr, however, must give Moody consistent playing time before the postseason. It appears that will happen.
"I think there will be some more opportunity in playing time [for Moody and Kuminga]," first-year general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. recently told the media.
Unlike last season, when Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Lamb took up minutes off the bench, Moody is the clear-cut backup to either Andrew Wiggins or Klay Thompson, DiVincenzo and Lamb are gone.
EXPECTATION: A defined role off the bench.
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